Teen Driver Safety With State Farm #CelebrateMyDrive

Disclosure:  This is part of a sponsored collaboration with Latina Mom Bloggers and State Farm.  However, all opinions expressed are my own.

My oldest Tyler is a go-getter.  He was ready for his 16th Birthday because here in California, that meant he could get his license.  He's a responsible and smart kid, deserving of his license so his wish was granted.  He did driver's ed and got his permit before his birthday in January.  It wasn't until he got his license in August that I really started to worry.  I know my kid is a good driver but what about everyone else?  When I came across State Farm's new survey that reveals an alarming gap between parents and teen views on driver licensing laws, I was stunned.  Most shocking for me is how much parents overestimate their teens obeying two key provisions of graduated driver licensing laws.  You can click the GDL infographic below to see that only 43% of teens state they almost always obey the passenger restrictions while 70% of parents say their teens obey the passenger restriction.  This one is huge for me because I'm always telling Tyler he can't drive around his friends!  Especially since the presence of teen passengers increases the crash risk of unsupervised teen drivers.

For nighttime restrictions, 66% of parents said they almost always monitor while only 32% of teens said their parents monitor.  In this case, our son isn't allowed to drive at night.  There is no reason he should be out after 10pm - 6am.

When I asked Tyler what he thought about the survey results, he said he agreed but that I need to just trust him and I do.  We all do.  It's other people we don't trust.  For as long as I can remember, I have always pushed my sons to obey the law - especially on the road because they can hurt themselves or someone else.  Too much responsibility to bear if something ever happened.  Life changing.  What are your thoughts on the State Farm survey?  

You can check out the Teen Driver Safety Website and Celebrate My Drive on Facebook.

It's Time For Camp Spooky At Knott's Berry Farm Theme Park!

Disclosure:  We will be attending a media event for Camp Spooky.  All thoughts are our own.  

It's almost October and that means it's time for Camp Spooky at Knott's Berry Farm!!!!!  If you know me, you'll know that Halloween is my favorite.  I love when that calendar hits October 1st cause it is time to celebrate for the whole month (and sometimes into November).  Last year was our first time at Camp Spooky and Spider-Man er, I mean Duke made us promise that we would bring him every year.  I am all for new traditions so we kinda said yes!  This year your super heroes, monsters, princesses and whatever they may be are invited to take part in Snoopy's Costume Contest and show off their costume as they join the PEANUTS characters in a spirited parade through Camp Spooky!

There will be five Trick-or-Treating locations in Camp Spooky, head over with your goodie bag to the Camp Spooky Theatre where you can sing and dance with Charlie Brown's Spooktacular Show!   Ohhh and that's not all, do not miss the Creepy Crawly Critter Cave, explore the Monster Factory maze, listen to Scary Stories at the Lodge and wind down with Kooky Cookie Painting!

The absolutely best part of all this is it is all included with theme park admission!  Camp Spooky runs weekends October 5-27!  Knott's Berry Farm Theme Park operating hours are 10am-5:30pm.  For more information on all the exciting things that are going on at Knott's Berry Farm, call (714) 220-5200 or visit online at www.knotts.com

What fun do you have in store for your kids this Halloween?  What will they be?!  

Some cute pictures of our Spider-Man from last year!  Not sure what the littles will be dressed up as this year!  See you soon Snoopy!  

Chef Wolfgang Puck Cooking Demo At Macy's Costa Mesa 10/5

Clear your schedules!  World-renowned master chef and restaurateur Chef Wolfgang Puck will be doing a cooking demo at Macy's in Costa Mesa, CA to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of Macy's Culinary Council!  I can't think of anyone better - I remember being a teenager wishing I could have a meal at Spago.  My mom laughed at me, what was I thinking really... dreaming of Beverly Hills with my $20 a week allowance.  I wouldn't miss this for the World, see you there!  

Saturday, October 5 at 2 PM
Macy's South Coast Plaza
Demo Kitchen, Level 1
Costa Mesa, CA

With any $35 purchase in the Home Department on the day of the event, receive a seat for the demo*, a $10 Macy's gift card*, a copy of Chef Puck's cookbook* and a special Macy's Culinary Council cookbook*.

Reservations are required as space is limited. To save your spot, call (877) 550-MACYS beginning Monday September 30th from 8-4 PM PST. To learn more about the Macy's Culinary Council, visit macys.com/culinarycouncil.

Get social with Culinary Council:  @CulinaryCouncil on Twitter

Shrunken Ned At Disneyland

There are 3 fortune teller machines at Disneyland and I found them all!  Jungle Witch Doctor Shrunken Ned lives in South Seas Traders shop in Adventureland.  I almost missed him because I thought he was in the store next door!  He is quite a sight - his head is detached and hanging in his box.  A fortune from him is fifty cents and he actually gives you a "prescription" - he speaks and his mouth moves.  I was in absolute awe with his details.

Shrunken Ned's Thought For The Day --
"Be very careful about following the advice in health books.  You could die of a misprint."

Do you have a favorite fortune teller machine?  Read all about Fortune Red and check back for my post on my favorite, Esmeralda!

The Art Of Chris Galaviz: Dia De Los Muertos Masks

What started out as a project for my husband's Public Speaking class has propelled into a full-on business venture.  This mask was originally made for me because we celebrate his Mexican heritage on the Dia de los Muertos holiday.  The mask came out absolutely stunning and since we are raising funds to fund my new camera - he decided to offer 10 to insure delivery for the holiday.  The mask itself is paper mache and hand painted/drawn.  You will have the option of choosing the design and color scheme.  Your mask does not have to look like mine and it can even be male.  

If you are interested, you can purchase directly from his shop or on my Instagram starting at 12pm.

Instagram instructions:  When the picture above goes "live" on my Instagram, leave a comment with your email address.  If you are one of the first five, you will be invoiced from theartofchrisgalaviz@gmail.com and emailed to complete your order.

Fortune Red At Disneyland

There are 3 fortune teller machines at Disneyland and I found them all!  Fortune Red lives in New Orleans Square, right on Royal Street.  Put your quarter in the machine and Yo Ho (A Pirate's Life For Me) starts playing while Fortune Red points to his map.  I get giddy when the fortune card comes out.  And since this was my first one ever from Fortune Red, I was extra giddy!  Fortune Red's fortunes are in pirate speak, here's what mine said:

Impressed ye be with the uniqueness o' the Magic Kingdom.  'Tis yer creative nature what gives ye an appreciation for such artistic details.  Aye, but ye sails a course charted on detachment and ye signs articles with no one.  'Bout ship, matey, this here cruise be on the wrong tack.  There be trusted lubbers standin' by to help chart this creative talent and arrange fo'c'sle councils with important patrons.  Do no repel them.  Mark well me words, matey:  Solitude be a pleasant port to visit, but a lonely place to stay.

The back of my fortune card had pirate flag descriptions, a bloody red flag meant: No mercy.  Aye!
Do you have a favorite fortune teller machine?  Have you met Shrunken Ned yet?  Check back for my post on my favorite, Esmeralda!    

Mourning My Beloved Camera

I am in mourning.

My beloved camera stopped working at Disneyland on Friday, took him to Fullerton Cameras where he was pronounced dead. 

We agreed a new one is my best option because I just had him repaired in October 2012.

He lived a good life.

Macy's And Volcom Celebrate Youth Culture With Alex Gray

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Everywhere Society.

We are thrilled to have guest blogger Melanie Sheridan on our blog this week!  Thank you so much Melanie for sharing your story!  

My son rode his first wave when he was 6. Like most young kids, Tyler ran into the water with virtually no fear. It was fun to watch him out there with his dad, trusting that everything would be alright. Over and over again he tried to stand up, and then finally, he got it. I got pictures of that first ride and of his huge smile afterward. I’ll never forget that look on his face. He was so proud of himself!
Fast-forward one year. Tyler and his dad went out again, only this time he took a pretty big spill. He surfaced sputtering and coughing. But, more than that, he came up scared. I was hoping he’d be able to shake it off and get back on his board, but he was done. Literally. After that tumble, Tyler wouldn’t go back in the water at all except to play on the shoreline. It wasn’t until last summer, when he was 9, that he wanted to go out again. He got really into boogie boarding. I think it helped that he didn’t have to go out as deep to have fun. This summer, Tyler said he was ready to try surfing again. He’s still a little scared, but he knows what to do now. I think he’s learned that one thing all surfers understand: you can have respect for the power of the ocean and still have a little bit of fear of that power, too.

Last weekend, I had the opportunity to take Tyler to the Volcom #MensStyle event at Macy’s in Carlsbad to meet surfer Alex Gray. I thought it would be good for him to meet a young pro like Alex, who, despite being one of the best surfers in the world, still admits to being scared sometimes.
When I asked Alex if he had any advice on how to get kids over their fear of the water, he said no. Kids should be a little scared. He said he never gives in to the fear, and that fear is actually one of the things that keeps him going. “If you’re not scared, you’re not all there. Fear is healthy. It’s what you do with it that counts.”
That’s a good lesson for both surfing and life in general. I hope it’s a lesson Tyler learns to embrace. I hope he remembers how he felt the day he caught that first wave and carries that pride and sense of accomplishment with him all the time. I hope he never lets fear get in the way of something he wants.

Alex Gray is a world renowned big-wave surfer. He’s been sponsored by Volcom since he was 12. His advice for young kids who want to start surfing? Find a good quality foam longboard and have fun! Alex was at Macy’s to meet fans and sign autographs. Volcom handed out screen printed hats and re-usable shopping bags. Volcom is a modern lifestyle brand that embodies the creative spirit of youth culture. The company was founded on liberation, innovation and experimentation while remaining dedicated to the breakdown of established traditions. Volcom’s avant-garde approach to clothing and branding has set it apart in the action sports industry and beyond.

Get to know Alex and Volcom on social media:
Twitter: @turkeymelt1
Blog: turkeymelt.com
Instagram: @A_Gray
Twitter: @volcom
Pinterest: Volcom

Radio Disney & Raini Rodriguez Take Over Macy's

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Everywhere Society.  All thoughts are my own.

I gotta give it to the parents that took their kids to meet Raini Rodriguez of Disney Channel's Austin & Ally this past Saturday at Macy's in Brea.  I got there about 15 minutes till 2pm and it was absolutely wild!  The line was super long and all the kids were so excited!  Radio Disney kept the crowd hyped up with good tunes!  I got a chance to chitchat with a few parents and learned some of them were there for over four hours!  WOW!  Raini came out right on time and the kids went CRAZY!  I asked some girls if it was worth the wait and they looked at me like I was crazy!  What a fun last day of Summer for parents and their kids to spend together!  We checked out Macy's must-have looks for boys and girls and with any $35 Kids purchase, you would get an exclusive Macy's school lunch bag!  

Did your parents ever take you to meet your favorite celebrity?
Would you take your kid to meet their favorite celebrity?

Ooo the anticipation!

The Radio Disney crew was very cool!

There she is!  Raini Rodriguez with local LA fans Hannah, Brianna and Samantha

Baby's Day Out At The Beach #HuggiesLatino

Disclosure:  This is part of a compensated campaign with Latina Mom Bloggers and Huggies.  However, all opinions expressed are my own.

The sad reality is that we always overlook the luxury of living close to the beach until family or friends are in town and they want to visit.  One Summer we hung out at the beach about 6x.  That was a record for us.  We definitely take living by the Pacific Ocean for granted and that needs to change.  We ventured out last weekend to Mothers Beach to celebrate Lily's 2nd Birthday!  Now that Omie is a little bit older we knew he would enjoy the freedom to run around in a new environment and enjoy cake!  We were right, we know our kid.  He freaked out having his feet in the sand but the minute I walked him to the water, he didn't want to leave.  He splashed and danced around but the minute he put his hand in his mouth, it was time to head back to the party and clean up!

I used baby wipes at the beach for everything that day - cleaning off Omie's hands, wiping sand off his face, cleaning up his face after eating pizza (and cupcakes!) and when he got a booboo on his foot.  I didn't realize how much of a lifesaver they are for us!  As long as we have them, we can survive at the beach!  More trips are definitely in our future!  Another parenting challenge conquered!

The Huggies' parenting webisodes featuring Zuleyka Rivera, Huggies spokesperson, and her son Sebastian will be uploaded monthly and will be available on Huggies Latino Facebook page - You can check out the third one here!

Grab a pack of Huggies Snug & Dry Diapers with New SureFit Design and Huggies Natural Care Wipes with New Triple Clean Layers and join Zuleyka as she puts Huggies to the test. Visit Huggies.com/tuprueba for more information on the new Huggies products.

Get Social with Huggies:  @Huggies on Twitter #HuggiesLatino / Huggies Latino on Facebook / Huggies / Huggies Spanish

Join us for an exclusive Orgullosa Facebook Chat with Adrienne Bailon!

Disclosure:  This is part of a compensated campaign with Latina Mom Bloggers and Orgullosa.  However, all opinions expressed are my own.

The Orgullosa community already celebrates, empowers and fuels Latinas' accomplishments and dreams everyday as “mujeres con la falda bien puesta”.   We celebrate where we come from and where we are going.  During Hispanic Heritage Month, Orgullosa wants to join together to recognize our Latina culture and passion to inspire each other because that’s who we are!

Join us to discuss how our bicultural community represents strong, independent women who celebrate having the best of two worlds: one being rooted in their Hispanic culture and the other seizing their limitless potential in the U.S. The Nueva Latina!

Celebrity Guest Adrienne Bailon will chat with us LIVE on Facebook to discuss her experience and point of view as a fashionista, television host, actress, musician and more.  Growing up as a bicultural Latina, she’ll share how her culture has shaped her today, and provide her personal advice for Latinas trying to reach their dreams and aspirations – all exclusive to the Orgullosa community!

And as always, we’ll have some amazing prizes to give out along the way!

Party Details:

What: Orgullosa ‘Celebrating our Hispanic Heritage Everyday: Being the Nueva Latina Generation’ LIVE Facebook Chat

When:  Wednesday, September 25th at 9 PM EST

Where: https://www.facebook.com/orgullosa

Hashtag: #OrgullosaHeritage

Special Guest: Adrienne Bailon, Nueva Latina 

Moderators: Latina Mom Blogs (http://www.facebook.com/latinamomblogs) 

Brand: https://www.facebook.com/orgullosa

Website: http://www.orgullosa.com/

Prizes: Three (3) gift baskets with your favorite Procter & Gamble home and beauty products, Orgullosa goodies, mini-ipod, and gift certificate, valued at $250 each.

RSVP: To be eligible to win prizes, you must RSVP at Latina Mom Bloggers.

Making Mini Pizzas With #PillsburyBiscuits

It has been hard adjusting to life now that we are officially back to school.  There just weren't enough lazy days for us this Summer.  Can we have a do-over?  Minus the weather.  Got home from our trip and jumped right into homeschooling.  Homeschooling is a mess so far this year.  Omar is older and always wants in on the lessons.  Maybe it's because we use Lego minifigs for math.  He steals pencils, writes on workbook pages and wants to snuggle.  He is our biggest distraction.  Well, him and Minecraft but I'll save that story for another day.  Our nights are just as busy as days and it is so hot lately that dinner is whatever is the easiest to make without me breaking into an ugly sweat.  I come across hundreds of good looking recipes on Pinterest and pass because really... who has time for all that fancy stuff?  One of the dinner ideas I actually did pin:  Pillsbury Grands! Mini Pizzas!

I was deprived and never had these as a kid!  If only my mom or grandma knew how easy these were to make.  I was geeking out when I popped open the tube because that's always fun!  We were so excited to try biscuit pizzas!!!  When I pulled them out of the oven, our picky eater Duke, couldn't wait to try it out.  As cute as they looked, they were also very yummy in our tummies!  I know these will be on our menu at least twice a month!

You can download the nifty recipe booklet from Pillsbury - check it out and let me know which recipe you are excited to try!  


I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective. The content and opinions expressed here are all my own and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of General Mills. Compensation was provided by General Mills via Clever Girls Collective.

Dinner And Dialogue At An Urban Farm #BlogHerFood

Way back in June when I was in Austin for BlogHer Food, I was invited to a private dinner at Springdale Farm hosted by the U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance.  Springdale Farm is a family operated urban farm located 3 miles from the State capital in Austin, TX.  Our dinner was as fresh as they come, farm to table --- picked just a few hours before we sat down to eat.  Glenn Foore, owner and farmer of Springdale Farm gave us a tour and discussed why he has committed to growing produce and creating a sustainable future for his family and community.

Celebrity Chef Danny Boome led the discussion on factory vs. family farming, genetically modified crops, animal welfare and the use of pesticides and fertilizers.  We got to dine and discuss these hot topics with farmers, cattle ranchers and CommonGround volunteers.

Owner and farmer of Springdale Farm, Glenn Foore

That's asparagus!  I know, right?

Chef Danny Boome

I happened to look up as I was going in for my first bite and saw someone on the farm staff pick fresh greens and it hit me.  My salad was literally farm to table fresh.

Tomato Gazpacho - loved it!

Sweet Potato Salad - this was phenomenal.  I could not get enough!

So bummed I can't remember what this was... (Could it be collard greens?)

Pork and beef tenderloin.  I can't tell you how simple yet sophisticated the preparation and flavors were, you had to be there.  So delicate and moist.  Mmm!!!

Strawberry Spoon Cake - this was phenomenal too, it came out warm and perfect in every way.  I cleaned up the dish with no shame whatsoever.


I wanted to add that Chris and I are like the majority of the US population.  We enjoy fast food, make semi-homemade meals and eat out at restaurants....  Yes we care about our health and the future of our children - we do our part to learn more but shouldn't be faulted for our food choices.  It is a complete lifestyle change and we aren't committed to making those changes right now so please respect our family on my blog.  With that said, I really enjoyed talking with ranchers and farmers about food.  If I had the time and money, I'm positive we would eat sustainable food everyday.    

The closest urban farm and restaurant for us is Park Ave. Dining in Stanton.  It is one of my absolute favorite restaurants.  Do you know where your local urban farm is?

You can follow the conversation about how food is grown and raised at fooddialogues.com